Lucy's Hogwarts Adventures
by Fae.Kat77
Summary: Lucy tries to make sense of her life, as her Squib mother closes herself off as Lucy attends Hogwarts. I don't want to give too much away, I hope you enjoy my thrilling tale! Along with humor and romance this tale also contains mystery and suspense and LOTS of Potter background! I don't own any of it, this is just my little tale spun under lots of research and a huge love for HP!
1. Chapter 1

My mother was a squib. Her mother and father, my grandparents, were decently famous people. As were my aunts. My mother however, was born the youngest and a squib. Back in the day, a squib would have been chucked out and hidden away. My mother had a pretty decent childhood. My grandmother would tell me stories of how she would home school my mother under the muggle school system but always teach her as much wandless magic as she could. My mother could create basic potions that didn't include wand movements or incantations and tend to magical plants (the less dangerous ones). But never, ever showed any signs of magic herself. Slowly, my mother became bitter. My grandparents and aunts could see this, even when my mother was a young child. They always supported her in anything she did, almost to the point of over exuberance. It hadn't mattered. Slowly, over time the feeling of inadequacy had crept in and closed its tight grip over my dear mother's heart. When she went to college she started distancing herself from the family. She moved hundreds of miles away and went to a college across the country. Her sisters, having magical powers could obviously drop by whenever they wanted, concealing themselves from muggles and finding my mother only when she was alone. My grandparents run Flourish and Blotts in Diagon Alley so they can't leave. My mother slowly started writing less and so my grandmother only ever heard about her from my aunts.

My mother married a muggle. A very small ceremony. Him, his brother and my two aunts. I came nine months later. That was the very first time I met my grandmother. In a muggle hospital, in a muggle town, surrounded by muggles. It was also the very first time I breached the International Statue of Secrecy. After lots of screaming and crying and many other things that happen when a baby is born, a nurse had put me down in my crib, wrapped in a blanket. A few minutes later when she went to go pick me up to bring me to my mother, she gasped and stood by the crib staring.

"I swear she had black hair. Even after we washed and dried her. It was jet black."

My aunts and grandparents and father all rushed over to see what the nurse was babbling about. My hair was a bright blonde. Almost white my grandmother had said. My family exchanged looks. What could this mean? Was the nurse seeing things? A trick of the light? Something more magical than any mundane explanation? A few hours later would tell the whole story.

"My mother had finally dozed off into a sleep when I started crying. My mother got up and grabbed me and put me in bed with her, so I could eat. She fell asleep and had shifted her arms slightly away from me or something because the next thing she knew I was screaming and my hair was a brilliant flaming red. A nurse had come running in when she heard me screaming, but thankfully this was a different nurse and she didn't notice the color change of my hair. After assuring the nurse that she had just fallen asleep, my mother looked in panic at her husband, who had no idea of her family's magical history. Or so she thought. Without the knowledge of my mother, one of my aunts had laid a very particular plan in place a few days before they got married. She allowed, while making it look accidental, my father to witness her preforming magic. Nothing crazy, just something simple. She never said anything to him and neither he to her. But my father had thought long and hard about what he had seen and had come to the conclusion that maybe he didn't quite know everything about the world in front of him. So, a few minutes later when I was happily eating again, and my hair turned a vibrant shade of purple, my father only calmly said.

"That's a very neat trick. Should save her lots of money at the hair salon when she's grown."

Everyone in the room stared at him for a moment and then, "Well, I guess he's REALLY part of the family now!"/p

My Aunt Matilda, who had let Andy see her preforming a levitation charm, had exclaimed before throwing her arms around my father and hugging him. Becky, my mother, shot Matti a look before glancing at her other sister Nancy. Five whole years separated Nancy from Becky. As my father chuckled and finally felt accepted by her family for the first time, my mother also felt herself slipping away from her husband. She clutched tighter at me, fearing the worst. I was going to be magical.

My mother home schooled me, like her mother had for her. I was their only child. After going through severe depression after my birth, my mother became barren and though her and my father tried many times, they couldn't have more kids. As I grew up, I witnessed first-hand my mother being jealous of magic. I would often change my appearance depending on what I would pretend play when I was young. If I was a pirate, I would shorten my hair and twist up my nose as if I had been fighting. Minus the blood of course. If I was pretending to be a fairy, my hair would be long enough to touch the floor and a bright blue or green. I would make my ears long and pointy. Every time my mother would catch me doing this she would sigh exasperatedly or say things like,

"Where did my daughter go? Who are you?" "Can you just stop that? I'd rather see the face you were born with." "What if you forget your real face?"

At first when she said this, it would scare me, and I would start to cry and change back. But then my father lost his job when I was seven and my mother went to work. He took over the job of homeschooling me. It was a huge shock at first for him when I really started gaining control over my transformation powers. He had sent me to play in our huge fenced in yard and had come to check on me when he had found a little boy with a twisted nose in his garden instead. I instantly started crying and changed back. My father had hugged me and asked me why I was crying.

"I'm afraid I'll forget my real face and never go back to it. Then you and mom will forget who I am." I sobbed into his shirt.

"He held me close and hugged me and said words I'll never forget.

"I'll always remind you what your real face looks like. I could never forget it. Half me, half your mom, all perfect little Lucy. You can be whoever you want to be. Look however you want to look. It's what's inside that really counts. How you treat other people. What you work hard for and what your goals are. What you want to achieve in life! Those are the things that matter."

"I found a new love for my powers and used them frequently. This annoyed my mother, so I stopped doing it quite as often again, except for one tiny detail. I kept my original look, my almond shaped green eyes, my soft nose and chin, my long straight hair with bangs. The only thing I changed was my hair color. I made it permanently purple. My vibrant purple of happiness. It's the color I think of when I got my Hogwarts letter at eleven years old.

My transformation wasn't the only sign of my magical abilities. I often had a knack for making plants grow extra fast and hovering things around me I didn't want to hold. Often, when I was still a toddler, my parents would hear my cup drop and turn around to pick it up for me, only to find it was already in my hand. Or the one time I decided to stand up in my highchair because I couldn't see my mother cutting my food on the counter. She had turned around to bring an apple to my highchair and gasped very loudly. This had scared me and caused me to lose my balance. While my mother dropped what she was holding and dove to catch me, I had giggled and bounced right between her arms, as if I were on the moon. I was 3.

This wasn't the first time my magic had shown through. The day I got my letter to Hogwarts was the best day of my life. It was equally my mother's worst day. She cried. I cried out of happiness and then sadness. Why couldn't she just be proud of me? It wasn't anyone's fault she was a squib. Least of all mine. Why did she always make me feel like me having magic was the reason she was a squib?

My aunt's and grandparents were over the moon with happiness. My aunts came the same day I sent our family owl (a gift my mother was reluctant to let me accept from my grandmother). They hadn't received my owl but had known that if I got a Hogwarts letter, that was the day I would have gotten it. They convinced my mother to let them stay and take me by Flu Powder to Diagon Alley for shopping the next day. I begged my mother to come with. She was trying her hardest to explain that she had too much work to do and that it would be much more fun with just me and my aunts. I knew she didn't want to watch me do what she had wished she could do for years.


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning, I woke to find a note from my mother.

 _Had to run out for groceries early, they were having an early bird sale at the local market. I'll make your favorite dinner tonight when you come home, and you can tell me all about your day. Don't let your aunts buy a new pet, you can take Emiko with you, she's really yours in the first place. Have a great day and don't spend too much._

 _Mom_

I knew she had left early because she couldn't bear to see me off. I went down into the kitchen feeling a little sad to find Aunt Matti making breakfast, her wand waving around and making things fly to the kitchen table. I loved watching magic. It fascinated me. My mother knew this, and it was the reason we had stopped visiting my Aunt's at their houses. I watched as bacon flew from the pan to the table, one piece after another. I saw paper towel unfolding itself and chasing after the bacon to clean up the grease. Eggs were turning themselves over in the pan. A jug of orange juice flew past my face and landed on the table, spilling only a small amount. The paper towels that had been chasing the new slices of bacon changed course and wiped up the spilled juice, crumpled themselves into a ball and arched gracefully towards the garbage, which opened automatically and gave a little blech after swallowing its contents. I couldn't take in enough at one time. Plates started filing themselves out of the cabinets and laying themselves on the table, only slightly off center. Utensils flew from the drawers, flying in a high arch towards the table. Some of the forks landed standing straight up, slamming slightly into the table and quivering in place.

"Oops!"

Exclaimed Aunt Matti as she flew around the room, waving her wand gracefully. She twirled and hummed to the radio as she moved. Small flashes of light blinked in time with her wand movements. The curtains were fully closed on all of the windows, including the little window on the front door whose curtains were stiff with misuse. Three more things landed on the table and then suddenly everything is still.

"What's wrong?"

My Aunt Matti had stopped suddenly in the center of the kitchen. The table was between us, but her eyes met me across it. They moved down to the note that was still clutched in my hand. I quickly put it behind my back but felt it suddenly yanked out of my grasp. I spun around.

No one was there. The note had been magically summoned from my hands by my mischievous Aunt. I spun back around in time for my other Aunt to come in from the back garden. Aunt Nancy walked in and started reading the note over her sister's shoulder. They exchanged a look. I knew what they were thinking. I put on my best smile and sat down.

"That was the most incredible magic I've seen you do in a long time, Aunt Matti. It was mesmerizing!"

I helped myself to a slice of bread that had just been cut from a knife moving on its own. I grabbed the butter and spread some on my bread. I chanced a glace up at my mother's sisters. They were still watching me.

"What? Do you not know what "early bird special at the market" means?"

I asked, trying to project teasing into my voice. It was particularly easy as this was the usual way we spoke to each other. They both smiled a little reluctantly, but Aunt Nancy said,

"No hunny, we know. Are you ok with your mom not being here?"

Ah, Aunt Nancy, she always gets to the point, that woman.

"No, I think it will be a fun day with just you two! Mom mentioned that she had a lot of work to do, and my favorite dish IS a bit of work… You know how I like delicious food! Breaded Clearswamp Frog Legs take lots of time to catch and cook, so I've heard. Grandma and Mom are the only ones who've made it and I've never been allowed to watch yet!"

It seemed to be working. My aunts looked a lot more relaxed. I scooped an egg off the platter and placed it right on my buttered bread. I grabbed a slice of cheese and put it directly on top. I copied this on another slice of bread and started to eat. Soon my aunts joined me. As my aunt Nancy ate her breakfast, it was in the same way every day, she had three easy over eggs directly on top of two steaming hot pancakes complete with butter and syrup. My aunt Matti had an omelet with toasted bread pieces and bacon. I snagged two pieces of bacon off the extra plate as my father walked in.

Andy was a mostly normal guy. He was into sci-fi and stocks. He paid his taxes and drank tea late at night. He ate his breakfast a different way every morning. Today he had a bowl of Cherrio's and two eggs with a piece of toast and his normal morning coffee. He worked an office job and liked to build model creatures in his spare time. He was always supportive and made awkward dad jokes. His hair was still slightly disheveled, but he smiled warmly at me and I returned his smile.

I popped my second egg yolk and started cutting bites off and popping them into my mouth. It tasted bland and dry in my mouth, but I chewed enthusiastically, trying to avoid awkward questions from my dad as well. He propped open the newspaper and started to read. He read it front to back every single day.

Aunt Nancy had finished eating and had started to clean up. Suddenly there came a loud bark at the front door. It was Tasha, my parent's old golden retriever asking to be let inside. Apparently, she was done terrorizing the squirrels for the morning and had decided she wanted to be where the excitement was. Or for the food, I'm never quite sure which. Nancy flicked her wand at the door and it opened long enough for the old girl to come in and shut itself behind her. She huffed her way over to her water bowl and started to drink.

"So, what are you looking forward to most on this trip, Lucy?" My father asked me. He hadn't looked up from his paper, but I knew he was always listening. Even when we didn't think he was. I thought about it for a second.

"Probably seeing Grandma and Grandpa! I haven't seen them in what feels like forever!" The answer came willingly, almost unexpectedly from my mouth. It was the truth, I did want to see them. A true smile finally lit up my face.


	3. Chapter 3

Side-along apparition is the weirdest feeling ever. Like you are being squeezed through a straw. Not one of those throw-away plastic ones littering the ocean from Muggles. A heavy-duty, metal one. We appeared in an alley where the dumpster smelled of grease and fries. It was a hamburger bar, an old looking one but it had that rustic look of welcome. We started the walk towards the famous Leaky Cauldron. We passed several muggle shops as cars zipped by on the road next to them. We passed flower shops and dress stores and boutiques. Finally, we came to a music museum (my aunt said it used to be just a music store, but they got so many collectibles donated, it became a museum) and a bookshop. Between the two of them was the Leaky Cauldron.

"Ohhh, it looks exactly the same as when we came our first time, doesn't it sister?" Said my Aunt Matti with a musing look on her face as she stared at the sign. Nancy nodded her head, smiling fondly at the entrance to the bar. Matti pushed the door open and they walked inside. The inside was kind of small and dingy but made it feel like home. There was a wooden staircase and a door to the outer alley, separated by a wooden bar with several chairs. A middle-aged man stood behind the bar while a woman with blonde hair sat in a chair, half concealed by a slightly closed door. The middle-aged man had no hair and a bit of a belly but toned arms and legs, covered in tattoos. Regardless of these things, he was a good-looking man. He whistled while he cleaned glasses and nearly skipped around behind the bar.

"Robert! I hoped you would be here today!" My Aunt Nancy called to the man. He glanced up and smiled real big. His teeth were white and straight.

"Nanc! Darling! How wonderful to see you! Who is this lovely little lady? Oh, look at her, she's going to be a heartbreaker one day! You must be eleven and heading to get school supplies! Nancy who is this darling little thing?" He said all of this very fast and with such an excited inflection in his voice, Lucy's face went bright red.

"This is my niece, Rob and you're right! Her first trip! I am so excited! She's growing up way too fast, don't even get me started on boys! Her name is Lucy and she will absolutely take one of your specialty prediction drinks!" Nancy responded in the same way, very quick and chatty. They kept up the chatter continuously until Rob plopped the drink down in front of me. It was a small, round glass with a milky white substance in it. The glass was smoking slightly and swirled around, even when it wasn't moving. I looked up. Everyone was staring at me expectantly.

"Uhh… What do I do? Just drink it?" I said. No one had told me about this. Nancy sounded like she was knew Rob well.

"That's right sugar! It will, with almost one hundred percent accuracy, predict what Hogwarts house you'll be in!" Robert responded. They all smiled at me and watched me in anticipation.

"There's no alcohol, right? My mother would kill me." I said with a nervous laugh. The man just shook his head, still smiling gayly at me in waiting.

I took a big swig of the surprisingly smooth drink, it tasted like nothing at first. As it slid down my throat however I caught a taste of what I could only describe as sunshine. It was bright, almost floral and very crisp. I went to go take another drink of the white liquid, but it had turned a bright yellow.

"Hufflepuff!" exclaimed Robert, twirling in a circle. I big smile lit up my face. Hufflepuff. It sounded like home.

"Well we won't know for sure until she gets there!" said Aunt Nancy, looking slightly disappointed.

"You wanted me to be in Ravenclaw didn't you Auntie?" I asked her, laughing slightly.

"Just as much as I wanted you to be Gryffindor!" Matti exclaimed, also looking a tad disappointed but smiling just the same.

"You write to us the second you get sorted by the Hat young lady and let us know!" Nancy said, smiling and ruffling my hair.

"Ladies, she's clearly a Hufflepuff. I'm telling you, my drinks are almost never wrong! I brew them up special." Robert said with a wink.

Laughing, we went to the back alley where a trashcan lay, and a brick wall seemed solid and unmovable.

"What's the brick count again?" Matti said, pulling out her wand.

"Three up, two across, Auntie!" I said, my eyes wide with excitement. My heart was pounding in my chest. This was it. Diagon Alley. I finally get to make the trip to get my Hogwarts equipment. I was really going to school at Hogwarts. I was going to get a wand.

The brick wall opened onto the place I had heard so much about, the bright sun shone down onto the cobbled road that twisted out of sight. Shops of all kinds drew my eyes and people moved about the street merrily, witches and wizards doing their shopping.

"Right! I want to get this done in a timely manner, so I made a list." Aunt Nancy said, and pulling from the inside of her coat, she produced a long list that drooped all the way to the floor.

"Merlin's Pants! What, do you plan on taking her to every single store?" Matti said, gaping at the list as Nancy squinted at the first item.

 _Potage's Cauldron Shop_

 _-silver, size two_

"Why do you have silver on there, Nancy. Her list says pewter!" Matti said as she read her sisters insanely long list.

"You've seen her powers, you know she's going to excel at everything. I am just trying to give her a head start!" Nancy said, and pulled the list away from her sister's prying gaze, "I'm in charge of her finances for this trip so if she goes to school with a silver cauldron, they'll just have to accept it!"

Matti rolled her eyes. While this had been going on, I had been gazing around at everything I could keep my eyes on. Witches and wizards roamed the streets, some stopping to talk to each other, others just waving and moving on. Brightly colored birds sat atop the shoulders of two twin girls, about 7 or 8. Their father was watching them fondly when suddenly a woman approached them. It ended up being the wife and she scolded the husband. I could hear them all the way from where we were standing.

"I told you not to let them beg you to buy them something! How much did those cost?"

The husband stammered but looked sweetly down at the two girls and said,

"Well dear, they were on sale. Two for the price of one… Now how could I turn that down when that's the same deal we got." He pulled his wife in and kissed her while the two girls giggled and ran around them. I turned my head away, blushing. The obvious love he had for her was almost too raw to look at directly. I started to wonder if that would ever be me some day. Would he be a wizard? Maybe a Muggle? What would he look like? He would HAVE to be funny… Would he be handsome? Or more, lovable dad looking?

As I had been pondering and daydreaming, I hadn't noticed that my Aunts had started towards the cauldron shop. I was still staring off into the constantly moving and slowing crowd of people. I turned around to ask my Aunt a question when I finally noticed they were gone. My stomach dropped, and I turned around, scanning the crowd for a sight of them. I spotted them right at the entrance to Potage's Cauldron Shop. I sighed and walked over to them, they had been arguing so much they hadn't even noticed. I walked up to them and as I did, Nancy turned her head and said,

"Right, Lucy?!" I didn't know what to say.

"Uh… What?" I blurted.

"Oh, you've got your head in the clouds girl. Don't you think a silver cauldron is better?"

"Your list says pewter!" Matti said, sounding exasperated.

"Why don't we ask the shop keeper?" I said, trying to find a solution to help everyone stay calm.

Nancy opened her mouth to say something, took a breath, stopped, blinked a few times, looked right at me and said,

"Maybe you ARE a Hufflepuff. Alright, let's go ask then." She sighed dramatically and held the door open for us. Aunt Matti and I both walked in and Nancy followed, letting the door close behind her with a little tinkle.

The shop was very organized and clean. Rows upon rows of cauldrons of every size imaginable were lined up in neat little rows, going from largest way in the back to tiny ones at the very front of the shop. There was a small stack on the checkout counter, I picked one up. It fit in the palm of my little eleven-year-old hand. My two Aunts had started the discussion with the store keeper, so I wandered around the shop. I walked to the very back and found the largest cauldron in the whole shop. I compared it to the one in my hand. The size difference was astounding. I couldn't even reach the top lip of the huge black cauldron. The small one in my hand was grey, rather than black and smooth. The one next to me was rough and bumpy. Suddenly I heard my name being called. It sounded weirdly reverberated with all the large empty cauldrons around me. I made my way up to the front of the shop and went to replace the tiny cauldron when my Aunt grabbed it and placed it next to a silver, standard size two cauldron. I guess Nancy had won the argument for silver being acceptable. I grinned at my Aunt as she paid five galleons and two sickles for the two cauldrons. They were packed away into a box with handles and we left the shop.

Next on Aunt Nancy's list, I glanced under her outstretched arm (her eye sight was getting a bit worse).

 _Mr. Mullpepper's Apothacary_

 _-potion's starter kit_

 _-vials_

 _-dragon-hide gloves_

"We might as well get her the advanced potion kit to go with her silver cauldron." Matti said, as we walked into the shop. The smell was awful. I covered my mouth and nose with my shirt, hoping to block out the stench. The shelves were full of strange objects. Tea cups and metal things and spoons and knives that glowed slightly green. I walked around looking at all of the shelves and magical items. Soon I was again in the back of the shop. Suddenly, something caught my eye. It was a very old, folded up bit of parchment. It looked ancient and like it had been folded and unfolded several times over. I picked it up, feeling a sudden rush I couldn't explain. Why was I so drawn to this spare bit of parchment?

Still contemplating it, I walked back towards the front of the shop. I could hear my Aunt Matti saying something, her voice slightly raised. I moved closed to her and realized she was arguing with the store clerk.

"She's only a first year, she wouldn't need the advanced potion making set." The old clerk wheezed.

"That's for us to decide isn't it, though? I want to purchase both." Aunt Matti had that tone in her voice that suggested she was not going to budge.

"Very well, very well. Take both and the gloves and be gone then." The old man huffed.

"Aunt Matti, can we buy this too?" I asked, rushing forward with the parchment.

"What, that old piece of paper? What does it do?" Matti asked the clerk.

"I've no idea. I've never seen it before now." The clerk said, looking at the paper curiously.

"How much do you want for it?" Matti asked.

"Nothing, you may have it young lady. Now excuse me, there are other customers, "and with a final irritated wave, he ushered them out of his shop. I started at the paper I now owned. I still wasn't sure why I had bought it, but I knew that it was magical.


	4. Chapter 4

"Eeylops is next; although your mom said you could keep Emiko, I think we should buy HER a small owl, to make sure she keeps in touch. Nothing hyper though, something docile."

So it was that we entered the dark shop. Rustling and hooting came from every direction and big eyes blinked from inside cages. Meows and squeaks could be heard from different cages as well. The three of us approached the counter.

"Hi, first can I please get some owl nuts? The large ones? We also need to purchase an owl." I said and turned to look back at my aunt for clarification.

"We'll take your most docile and loyal Northern Pigmy."

"Yes, ma'am." The perky attendant said and raced off towards another part of the store. She wasn't gone long. She brought a tall, slightly narrow cage. It was narrower than Emiko's. A tiny owl sat in the cage, with its head tucked into its wing. As it was placed on the counter, it woke and gave a little hoot.

"If you want a loyal pigmy, I suggest getting a baby. They learn better loyalty as babies." The young girl said.

"Awwwww Aunty look! It's so little!" The word Puchi came to mind. I was delighted with the tiny owl, it was so absolutely adorable. "I think we should name her Puchi."

The tiny owl lifted its head from its water dish and looked at me and hooted. The little bird's eyes were huge and seemed to look right through me and into my heart.

"I guess that's settled then!" Aunt Nancy said with a laugh.

We paid for the owl and left, walking out into the sunshine which stabbed at our eyes after the darkness of the little shop with its chorus of sounds and many flashing eyes.

"What's next?" I said, poking a piece of an owl nut treat I had foraged for from the bottom of the bag into the tiny owl's cage. She hooted and nibbled at the treat energetically.

"A broom," said my Aunt Mattie and I turned with wide, excited eyes as we walked up to Quality Quidditch Supplies. Little did I know that I would be getting so much more than just a broom.

There was another sign hanging below the one giving the name of the shop. It looked newer than the old rickety sign, which had a single peeling letter on Supplies. The sign read, _Now selling: International brooms from all over the world._ I knew that there used to be a broom ban for first years, but that had been lifted. First years could bring their brooms but only use them for training and practice and were still barred from tryouts and team matches. I knew this because my Aunt's had been talking about it on the way to the Leaky Cauldron. Someone in Matti's first year had tried to smuggle one in and try out for Quidditch and got detention for it.

The brooms in the window were bright, shiny, and sleek and looked expensive. We walked into the shop and I saw all sorts of things hanging on the walls. Quaffles, Bludgers, bats, helmets, broom servicing kits, and a large silver cage of fluttering golden balls which I knew were Snitches. I couldn't take enough in at once. There were all sorts of uniforms and chest, elbow and shin guards hanging in rows of all sizes and colors. There was an entire bookcase in the back and I saw a total of nineteen volumes on the rules of The International Quidditch World Cup.

"Lucy! Come here and choose your broom, love!" I heard someone call from the front of the store. I walked forward and saw a huge wall dedicated just to brooms. Each broom had pegs holding it up against the wall. Some of the brooms seemed to be vibrating slightly. Little signs were under the brooms with descriptions and names.

 ** _Comet Series_** _\- Selling Comet260, Comet290, and Comet500_

 ** _Firebolt Series_** _\- Original and Supreme_

 _Official Brooms of Famous Quidditch Player Victor Krum and The Chosen One, Harry Potter_

 ** _Nimbus Series_** _\- Selling Nimbus 1700, 2000, 2001_

 _Popular for school-age Quidditch players_

 _ **Starsweeper XXI**_

 _New from the USA, sleek and agile, highest height range_

 ** _Twister Moc7_**

 _Greatest speed and turning ability, sleek design and extra cushioning with goblin-made metal twig holders_

 _ **Varapidos**_

 _Fiery speed but can become volatile when damaged, use with impervious charm for best results, from Brazil_

 _ **Yajirushi**_

 _Latest model straight from Japan, selling out fast, get yours today! Light and gentle to ride but powerful and fast. Beautiful and prevailing. Broom's of Famous Quidditch Beaters, Hongo and Shingo_

As I was looking through the different brooms, I heard a conversation float to me from a few feet away. There were quite a few other customers here. I hadn't realized how packed the whole street was, let alone the store. The people standing next to me were clearly here for the same reason.

"What broom do you want, sweetheart?" A decently handsome looking man said to a girl who looked about my age. The man had shoulder length, dark brown hair and a full beard and mustache. He was also wearing a vibrant purple coat with black buttons and filigree along the edges, with a black ruffled shirt showing underneath and matching purple pants. The girl was darker skinned and had vibrant pink hair. That caught my interest, but what she said next caught me completely off guard.

"Hm… I have no idea! What are you thinking about getting? You're going to Hogwarts too, right?"

It took me a moment before I realized she was talking to me. I had still been staring at her hair when I looked into her face and a huge, hundred-watt smile was directed right at me. Her teeth were super white and straight. She had warm brown eyes and a friendly face. She had high cheekbones and almond-shaped eyes.

"Y-yes, but I still don't know what to get. I like the sound of the Yajirushi, but the Twister sounds cool too." I smiled back, a little embarrassed, sorry I couldn't give the girl a better answer. She, however, seemed to enjoy my answer and it made her think.

"Hm... Well, let's ask! Between those two! Because I thought the Moc sounded good too, but you have me second guessing." and she waved down a store attendant who happened to be passing by, his arms full of a towering box of Quidditch boots.

"Hi, can I ask you a question? Between the Twister Moc7 and the Yajirushi, which would you recommend? What are the downfalls and pros of each?"

The assistant looked a little annoyed, but the girl just smiled at him expectantly, and the man set his boxes down right where he was standing and started to explain. Once he was done, the girl looked thoughtfully at the two brooms.

"I really like the sound of the Yajirushi!" I said enthusiastically.

"Oh, really? I was kind of thinking about the Twister Moc7… Can you tell me a little more about the Yajirushi?" She asked the attendant and when she was about to ask another question he cut in and said,

"There's only one left behind the counter little ladies, ya gonna have to duke it out with each otha." The man sniggered slightly and eyed both me and the girl in a way that was slightly uncomfortable. Maybe it was just me.

"Well, that sure settles it! I'll go with my first choice and take a Twister Moc7, that way you can have the one you want as well!" She said, clapping her hands and turning to me. I was liking this girl more and more as she talked. She had an aura about her that screamed confidence and friendship. I grinned shyly at her and said,

"That's really nice of you."

"Well, us first years have to stick together! It works out even better that we have more in common too. I figure you're a metamorphmagus as well?"

The word sounded so completely foreign, I was sure she had spoken another language.

"What does that mean?" I asked, completely bewildered. I looked back at my Aunts to ask them if they knew, but they were looking at a book on a shelf called _The Greatest Game of Quidditch_ by _Ginny Potter._ They were arguing over something, but I couldn't hear them, they were standing slightly farther away than I was to the girl with the pink hair but several more customers separated me from my Aunts, and no one stood between me and the mysterious girl with her cryptic word.

I turned back to look at her, only to find her much closer than where I had left her. She was staring at my hair. She shocked me so intensely, I felt my hair change to bright green as I jumped backward, tripped on my jeans and almost toppled over. My hand flew out automatically and connected with another arm before I could fall to the ground.

"Whoops! Sorry! I didn't think your hair was dyed but," the girl started to laugh as she steadied me with her grip tight on my arm, "now, I know for sure! Was that surprise or fear? My emotions change my hair color too."

I couldn't answer for a moment. Too many thoughts were racing through my brain. How did she know? What does this have to do with my powers? I thought that's just how I showed my magic. All underage wizards displayed different kinds of magic. What does that word mean? Metamo- Metafoam- Whatever, what does it mean!? How can that be me? Why hadn't my Aunt's told me? Or Grandma? Did THEY not know? Was this some kind of evil, dark magic that wasn't well known about? But this girl didn't seem to be evil? Was she just that good at hiding it?

Round and round my thoughts spun while the girl waited for me to answer. She started to knit her eyebrows and I was sure the panic had shown on my face. I smiled quickly and said,

"Sorry! I don't speak that language." It sounded so stupid, but it was the first thing I could think of to say.

She kept looking at me for a minute and then said, very matter of fact but quite enough not to be heard by anyone else,

"Do you not know what that means? What... What you are?"

I looked deeply into this strange girl's eyes. They were wide and not judgmental but concerned and caring. She honestly looked extremely friendly and those warm brown eyes are what made my deciding factor. I would trust her.

"N-no, I have no idea. I thought— well, I was just always told, that's how I show my magic. It's normal, everyone shows pre-magic when they're kids. They can't control it. Everyone does it a bit differently too; like my Aunt Nancy, she always levitated off the ground and Aunt Matti made plants grow. I mean I can do that too, I just thought-"

The girl had put her finger to my lips. I had been rambling on, almost in a panicked whisper. I hadn't realized I was breathing so hard until she removed her finger and I was still gasping for air.

"It's ok, it's ok; there's nothing wrong with you. I'm sorry, I thought you knew! I didn't mean to make you freak out. It's just a word for people like us, who can transform their appearance at will. You can do that right?"

"Yea, that's exactly right." And, for added effect, I changed my hair from its still bright green color to black and made it short, with thick sweeping bangs that stopped above my eyes. I changed my eyes from green to blue and did my second favorite nose (after my own), a cute little button nose.

The girl's eyes widened, and she looked amazed. She then turned into an exact mirror copy of what I had just turned into. The only difference was the clothes we wore.

"Wicked." We both said at the exact same time and laughed. I really did like this girl, I decided. Suddenly, all four adults walked up very quickly to the pair of us. Each grabbed the wrong child's arm and yanked us in opposite directions.

I heard the man dragging me saying, "Why did you give that person your hair? Did you see them drinking a potion? Polyjuice potion is nothing to take lightly, young lady!"

I stammered and tried to explain but the couple just cut me off and kept reprimanding me. I was saved by a shout from where the other girl had broken away from my Aunt's. She wasn't a replica of me anymore, however. She was halfway through changing, the black hair lengthening and turning pink, which gave it a very cool effect.

"Gwendolyn!" The two adults cried, and the man let go of me so suddenly and unexpectedly, I fell to the floor. The girl, apparently called Gwendolyn, rushed over to me, scowling slightly at her parents.

"Well jeez Dad, you didn't have to be so rude to her!" Gwendolyn reached out her hand and I took it, standing up and changing back into my normal self. Still with purple hair, of course.

The four adults encircled the two of us. All eight pairs of eyes were on me and Gwendolyn. I tried to take deep breaths; she had said it wasn't bad, but I could feel a rising pressure in my chest as all of the eyes focused on me and then the girl next to me. I felt an arm loop through mine and looked over to see her smiling broadly at me.

"Gwendolyn Star is the name. I usually just go by Star, but my parents insist on calling me Gwendolyn. Even just Gwen is better, but they don't like comic books very much, soooo." She rolled her eyes.

"Lucy Peveral." I said just as my Aunt spoke for the first time.

"Lucy, what is going on?" My Aunt Nancy said with a little note of disappointment in her voice, like I had done something wrong.

"This is Gwe-, I mean Star. She's a Hogwarts student too. Not only that but she said I'm a meter- meta- mega- uh.. How do you say it again?"

"Metamorphmagus! It means the person was born with the ability to change their appearance at will! I started showing signs at birth!" She said this with such pride, a little of my fear disappeared.

"I did too! My Grandmother LOVES to tell the story of my hair color changing in the hospital room. I've always been able to do this, as long as I can remember." I said, looking at my Aunt's as I spoke. They didn't seem to have had any reaction to the word that Star had spoken.

"I've never heard of such a thing. She's just extra talented is all. Probably will come out a Prefect, and Headgirl too." My Aunt Matti said. Nancy nodded her approval. Star's father, the man who grabbed me, spoke up,

"No, she's quite right. Metamorphmagi are very rare but Star here is the third and your... Whatever your name is… is the fourth! Small world though, meeting here!" and the man chortled loudly, apparently unaware that he was being rude, as I had just said my name.

"What? Why have I never heard of them?" Nancy said, looking at her sister. "You think our mother would have known?"

"Maybe she didn't tell us? But, why?" Matti responded, sounding just as confused as her sister.

"Don't feel too bad, ladies. It's little known. We only know by chance." The woman said, speaking for the first time and laying a hand on her daughter's shoulder. She was thin and also darker skinned, with high cheekbones, just like Star's.

"I met Teddy Lupin. Do you know who that is?" Star asked me.

I nodded my head and responded, "He's the Defense Against the Dark Art's teacher, isn't he?"

"Have you not heard of his transformational abilities? His parents?" She continued, hoping that I would catch on.

At this point, however, she had lost me. I knew his parents had died in a war, just like his godfathers had done in the war before that. It was tragic, but Teddy Lupin had grown up to be a great DADA Teacher. He was only about in his thirties, so my Aunt's had not had him as a teacher, but his skill was renowned. Some say he was trained by the Chosen One himself (who, as everyone knew was an amazing DADA student and secret teacher to a group of his own fellow students)! But this clearly wasn't the power that Star was referring to.

"He's one too." She whispered, and her eyes shone with such excitement it was absolutely contagious. A giggle rippled through my chest.

"Is he really?"

"Yes! I can't WAIT to meet him! How often do you think he changes his hair color? How often do YOU change your color?"

"I keep it mostly purple, but it goes with my emotions quite often! Why, how often do you change it?"

"I change it all the time! Today I was feeling bright pink! I've no idea why. Maybe it was because somewhere in my soul, I knew I'd find you today! Our hair colors match so well together!"

"Aww, that's so sweet! I'm honestly glad I already have a friend before going… I was a little nervous… I wasn't sure anyone would like me!"

"That's absolutely ridiculous! You are so fun and spunky, I can just tell!"

On and on we babbled together. I'd never enjoyed talking with someone as much as Star. We even sort of talked the same. Quick and often changing subjects, but always coming back to the points from before and not losing track. As we talked, the adults had ignored our babble and started discussing Quidditch brooms. Something they were saying caught my attention and I suddenly remembered.

"Oh no! What if the Yajirushi got sold?"

Star's eyes got as wide as mine and together we spun towards the adults, who were a few feet away, and approached them quickly.

"Well, the Nimbus Series is the most sensible, of course. Decent for school. It's exactly what I had when I was a young student, although not a first year of course." Star's father was saying.

"Dad, I want the Twister Moc7!" Star interrupted.

"I'd like the Yajirushi, but there is only one left and it might be sold at any moment!" I said, looking at my Aunt's pleadingly.

"What? You want THAT one? How much is it?"

"Let's go ask!" I suggested, and looked at all four adults, hoping to include Star so we could all walk up together. Star made this easy by walking right up next to me, her parents trailing behind her. We all joined the line to the desk where a slightly frazzled looking attendant was trying to manage an arguing couple at the front. While we waited, I asked my Aunt's what they had been arguing about by the bookcases before.

"Oh, I was just trying to convince Nancy that the book I'm buying wasn't a waste!" Matti said and handed the book to me.

I flipped the book over and read,

"Ginny Potter delves into her experience of the 2014 semi-finals between Bulgaria and Japan. The most notable sportsmanship ever seen in a game of Quidditch. An exciting and exhilarating guide to all of the moves done and new illustrations by the author herself. A complete guide to everything Victor Krum and his life-long achievement win of the 2014 Quidditch World Cup is included with your purchase."

I gave the book back to Matti. Of course, I knew all about the Potter's. It was common knowledge for those in magical families. My mother hadn't been the one to tell me, of course. It had been my Grandmother who told the tale of The Boy Who Lived and how he had saved the wizarding and muggle worlds alike when he defeated Voldemort. There used to be a stigma on saying the name, people feared to speak it. My Grandmother had still had trouble saying the name, even over twenty years later. She said it though and with her head held high. She explained that the fear was so bad, people used to call the man who had split his sole, You-Know-Who.

As I was remembering my Grandmother's stories, the line moved forward. Star was chatting animatedly with her parents, waving her hands and almost smacking a person in front of her. I chuckled at this. She was like me in so many ways, it was almost crazy! I wondered if we would be sorted into the same house. I hoped so, but only because I wanted to spend more time with her. There was no more house rivalry. Slytherin and Gryffindor got along just as well as Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. All of the houses got along with each other. It was only the House and Quidditch Cup that had any sort of competition, and that was just normal, healthy competition. It started after the Second Wizarding War, all the houses hatred towards Slytherin and any other hatred was stamped out by the school staff, whenever they saw it. It was well known now that Hogwarts was a community, the houses only the limbs of the entire body. Students of different houses got together quite often. So, even if Star and I were in different houses, we would be able to see each other quite often.

"What house do you think you'll be in?" I blurted at her. She blinked up at me in surprise but answered immediately.

"Either Gryffindor or Ravenclaw! What about you?"

"I'm not sure… I took that special drink the bartender at the Leaky Cauldron made. It said Hufflepuff. But you never REALLY know until you get there, right?"

"Oh! I've heard about that! I've heard that the drink is pretty accurate. I'll have to try it before we leave and see what I get! I can totally see you being in Hufflepuff though. What do I seem more like, Gryffindor or Ravenclaw?"

"Honestly? Gryffindor, but I sort of hope you'll be in whatever house I'm in. Or vice versa."

"I hope so too but even if we aren't, I promise to stay friends with you! I've heard that inter-house sleepovers can be a thing now, on weekends! That might just be a myth though."

The last person before me finally walked away from the counter and I had to stop chatting to walk up and make my order. I was lucky, the Yajirushi was still available. The man told my Aunt's the price, but they were too busy arguing over Matti's book to hear and just nodded at me when I asked if I could get it. The man behind the counter brought out the broom that had been on display and wrapped it. It had a beautiful red handle and white twigs, all nice and even and straight. I was buzzing with excitement. That would be my broom, for as long as it was still good. That was my families tradition (so my Aunt's had said, and it only started with me, hah! TRADITION…) and now I was the owner of a broom!

We moved out of the way, so Star could get her broom (she ALSO got the broom she wanted, after she had to persuade her parents). The man wrapped her broom and Star grabbed it excitedly and ran over to me.

"Oh my gosh! I can't wait to get to school and try this out!"

I felt her excitement and it matched my own. I smiled real big and nodded in agreement.

"Will you try out for your house team?" I asked because I planned to eventually.

"Hm… Probably! I'm not sure if I would make it, but I'd like to try!"

I was about to reply, but the adults had come up to us and interrupted me before I could.

"Well, we're all set here and a little behind schedule, so we have to move on Lucy." Nancy said, checking her long list.

"Where are we going next Aunt Nancy?" I asked, hoping Star would be going to the same place and we could spend more time together. I really liked the girl and hoped she liked me just as much.

"Madame Malkin's and Co., we need to get you your robes."

"Star, where are you heading next?" I asked, turning to her. My face fell when I saw her sad expression.

"We're going to Eyelops next, that's the opposite direction." We both exchanged a sad look.

"Come on now, you'll see each other on the platform and train! If not, then for sure at Hogwarts!" Star's father said, seeing our gloom.

Star walked right up to me and hugged me, hard. I hugged her back. At that moment, I knew that we would be the best of friends. Even if we were in separate houses, we would be close. Eventually, we broke apart and left the store, I waved to her the entire time she walked away, even though she only moved one store down. She did exactly the same, needing to be ushered inside by her parents to stop us waving and grinning at each other, both of us overly excited about this new friendship. There was a connection made today, a connection I felt deep down in my soul; I could tell that she felt the exact same way. The best feeling is meeting someone who resonates with your soul so completely. We would go through a lot in our years at Hogwarts, though we didn't know that now. We just reveled in the finding of each other and the start of a wonderful friendship.


	5. Chapter 5

Firstly, I want to thank everyone who has come this far with me. I appreciate your eyes and words in reading and commenting on my story. It means a lot. Second, I want to dedicate this chapter to my late father. He always believed in me and encouraged me to write. Happy Father's Day Dad 3 I miss you endlessly.

Next order of business! I don't own Harry Potter at all but any new things I make up do belong to this story :) there are a few other things I don't own in this chapter as well. _The Tree that Grew Through Iron_ by McKenzie Austin is not my own but is an amazing book by a very talented author and I highly recommend reading it! The other thing is the name of the wand shop. I based it off of my favorite podcast, _Swish and Flick: An all Potter Podcast_! The lovely hosts allowed me to use their podcast name and their own names to inspire my characters, the wand shop owners. Thank you, Megan, Katie, Tiffany and Sarah 3 I hope you enjoy reading!

There are some things in life that you can prepare for. There are others you cannot. New friends, love, good fortune, and just as equally loss, friends leaving, bad fortune and inevitably death. If I knew what adventures awaited Star and myself in our years at Hogwarts, maybe I would have better prepared myself. Time Tuner's were only legends now, the last one having been destroyed years ago, and the magic made forbidden. There's no way I could have prepared myself, even if I had one. The adventures would be amazing, life-altering, a little terrifying and a journey we would not soon forget.

"Where next?" I asked, starting to feel the strain of such a long shopping trip. I knew I needed all the things on my school list, but I was already missing Star and couldn't wait until next month. September 1st, my letter had said. That was the day I would be finally going to Hogwarts! I did a little skip of excitement.

"Glad to see you aren't over this trip just yet!" My Aunt Nancy exclaimed. I blushed slightly, but thankfully she was consulting her list and didn't see my guilt.

"Madame Malkin's and Company, come on Nanc, its right there! You labeled all the shops in order, so we could get to them all and not double back, remember?" My Aunt Matti said, and we moved off to the next shop.

Madame Malkin had passed away a few years ago. The shop was now run by her son and daughter. Her son's husband was often seen running around the shop as well. Today, that's who greeted us.

"Hello, dears, how many we help you on this wonderful day?" The man smiled brightly at us as we entered the shop. He was very blonde, with long flowing locks and nicely tanned, not orange but sun-kissed and dazzling. He had on a very sharp, light blue suit. Not wizarding robes, but a muggle suit. Somehow, it suited him very well.

"Hogwarts first year, she needs her uniforms." Matti stated before Nancy could say anything.

"But of course! Come right on back, we've got no one else in. My husband will fit you up, right as rain!"

We walked to the back of the shop. Spools of fabric lined the walls and row upon row of overly long wizard robes presented themselves as we moved to the back of the shop. They hung suspended by nothing as if strings hung the clothing up right. I brushed my hand along one and it slid as if it were on an actual rack and hanger. My mouth dropped open in shock. I couldn't inspect the rows any longer, however, because another man walked out from a back room and beckoned me to a stool. The first man left with a grin and I quickly obeyed and stood where he was pointing. He had short, dark hair and narrow eyes. He threw a rob over my head and started working very quickly. He took all sorts of measurements and sowed faster than anyone I had ever seen with or without magic. He quickly had the hems done and extra's snipped off and was working on white inserts that attached to the hood and insides of the sleeves.

"What are those for?" I asked, trying my very hardest not to fidget. It was difficult, but I didn't want to get accidentally stuck by a pin. The man didn't answer. I furrowed my eyebrows but didn't ask again. When he was done, he helped me pull the robes off again (they fit perfectly!) and walked up to the front with them while I followed. My aunts were still there, they obviously knew the speed at which he could sow. He dropped my robes off at the front desk, whipped out his wand and silently made instant duplicates. I now had four sets of perfectly fitting robes. I was about to ask the man behind the counter the same question I had posed to his husband when the dark-haired man started moving his hands in a rhythmic and artistic sort of way. I soon realized, as patterns and fluidity told a story of its own, he was using sign language. That's why he didn't answer me! He must be deaf, or hard of hearing.

"Ahhh, my husband says you asked him a question. The white inserts will change color when you get sorted into your house! It's a new invention of my sisters making. We just got permission from the Headmaster to use them a few years ago!"

"How did he know what I said?" I asked questioningly.

"He reads lips, it is a very useful skill. He also appreciates you not shouting at him again and again while waiting for an answer, which happens more often than you would think."

"That's so rude! Why would people do that?" I exclaimed, shocked to even think people would act in such a way.

The man with the dark hair had been watching me while I spoke and started signing to me. I watched with fascination but didn't understand much of what he was trying to communicate. His facial expressions were the easiest to read but he looked proud, yet stoic.

"He says, 'People don't always use their brains that much, they just assume I am like everyone else and can hear. While I can speak, I choose not to for the most part in hopes that more people will learn to communicate with me in my way.'"

As he translated his husband's words into something I could understand, the blonde man's face almost brightened from beneath his skin. He spoke with a loving tone, so radiant I felt I almost needed to look away. I felt the blood rush to my cheeks.

"You really love him, don't you, sir?" The words spilled from my mouth before I could stop them. I heard my Aunt suck in a breath and I knew she was going to chastise me, but the man replied before she could speak.

"You have a very good eye, my dear. Yes, I love Kenta with all of my heart. They could fix his hearing, you know. Up at Saint Mungo's? He refuses! The sly devil, he wants wizards to be more understanding of disabilities and things of that sort! I love him for his big heart and his sacrifices and his fighting spirit."

I smiled at the man. His words had made me hopeful, for the future. Would I find someone like that? Would I be able to love someone like that in return? I hoped so.

"That's beautiful. Thank you for sharing with me." I smiled at them both. Then an idea struck me. Turning to the man of little words, I asked him if I could have a word with his husband. He nodded and moved off to sort through some fabrics off in the corner.

"Can you teach me something in sign language? I want to thank him for my robes." I asked with determination. I was moved by Kenta's words. His husband smiled broadly and taught me to say "thank you for your work" in sign language. He had me practice a few times and corrected me, tucking my elbows in when they stuck out too far. When I had it perfected, he swept me towards Kenta with a wave of his arms.

I approached him and tapped on his shoulder lightly. He turned, and I looked him in the face, as his husband had instructed me to, and signed the phrase. His face immediately lit up and he smiled brilliantly. He signed back to me, and then hugged me. I knew what he was saying, he was thanking me for my efforts. As he pulled away, a few tears shown, unshed, on his lashes. Still smiling broadly, he patted me on the head clumsily and turned back to his work.

"You really ARE a Hufflepuff!" My Aunt Matti said and hugged me.

"That was beautiful, Lucy-pop!" My Aunt Nancy agreed, using the old nickname she had called me when I was a small child. It made me smile at the memory attached to it.

I had gotten the silly name one night during winter, close to Christmas when I was four. My mother, exhausted from her long day of entertaining me, teaching and cooking (my father always fed me when he got home, it was our time together) had put me to bed a little early. I hadn't been tired apparently because when my parents found me, I was outside playing in the snow, my bedroom window wide open. I hadn't been out there long enough to cause any damage, but I had only been wearing light pajamas. A natural wood fire warmed our home during the winter and we didn't need to bundle up at night. When my mother had told my Aunt's during Christmas that year, distressed that I may hurt myself by performing crazy magic, they laughed and said magical children were tougher than muggle children and that I would be fine.

 _She didn't turn into a popsicle, Beccs! Hah! Can you imagine, Nanc, a Lucy-popsicle? A Lucy-pop!_

My Aunt's had both enjoyed the little joke so much, they kept calling me that for several years after. It was a term of endearment now and they only used it sparingly, much to my relief. They had enjoyed the joke so much, they didn't realize the further distancing of my mother that year. I didn't either until I looked back that is. Wizarding children usually have a better memory than Muggle children, so I recalled the look on her face when my Aunt's had come up to hug me after laughing merrily. Her face had darkened, and she quickly stiffened her back and didn't speak much for the rest of the night, unless spoken to.

The tinkling of the bell above the door shook me out of my reverie and I turned in time to wave goodbye to the two men. We moved onto Twinkle's Telescopes for my astronomy classes next year. Aunt Matti had the foresight to have the items delivered to my home, instead of having more things to carry. After that, we stopped at Scribbulus Writing Implements and Aunt Nancy bought me a Golden Magpie feather quill. She said it was for luck, even though I wouldn't need it.

I loved the quill. It was a small, golden feather with a silver circle on the right side of the feather. It sparkled and glimmered in the light outside of the shop. I held it out in front of me, but something in the background caught my attention. It was a tall, white, slightly crooked building. It had columns and a huge marble statue of a dragon. It signified the end of many years of dragon cruelty that had happened deep in the caverns below Gringott's Bank. Rubeus Hagrid had spearheaded the hunt to have the malnourished dragons excavated from the bowls of underground life. They had erected the statue in honor of him after he died. His son, the new gamekeeper (whose mother was the old headmistress of Beauxbatons and lived with him on the grounds of Hogwarts) had requested the statue and it was granted. Hermione Granger, Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Luna Scamander, and Neville Longbottom and his wife, Hannah, had all been present for the ribbon-cutting ceremony. As I pulled the feather down to look closer at the building, I noticed my grandmother standing between me and the bank, in the middle of the street. She was smiling at me. I burst into a huge grin and sprinted for her.

"Grandma Patty!" I squealed as I gently threw my arms around her. She was quite old, and I was always afraid I was going to break her if I hugged too hard. She hugged me harder back, much stronger than I always expected. I loved my grandmother. She was my very first connection to the wizarding world. Her shop, Flourish and Blott's was probably one of the most famous shops in all of Diagon Alley. With towering bookshelves and rows and rows of any kind of book imaginable, it was my favorite shop in the whole place. I loved books and I loved to read. My grandmother had given me my very first book, _The Tales of Beedle the Bard._

"How are you, my dear? Have you finished that book I sent you?" My grandmother asked in her sweet voice, still holding on tight to me. She told me that long hugs were meant to close the distance between loved ones, it made up for the time spent apart.

"Yes, Grandma! _The Tree that Grew Through Iron_ was really interesting! Is McKenzie Austin writing another? I need more!" I exclaimed. Grandma always sent me interesting books to read. Sometimes educational, sometimes fiction stories and sometimes history stories. Whatever she sent me, they were always books that I loved. My Grandma knew what peaked my interest and made sure to nurture my love of reading. She didn't discriminate against Muggle or Wizard writers either. McKenzie Austin happened to be a muggle writer and a tattoo artist! I read the little blurb on the back of her book. I wondered when she got time to sleep!

"Yes dear, but you might have to wait! Can you be patient? What's my old saying?"

"If a string is in a knot, patience can untie it. Patience can do many things, have you ever tried it?" I recited the little poem my grandmother had been telling me since I was a little girl. She smiled approvingly at me as my grandfather walked up to us.

"Pawpaw! Hey!" I said and hugged him too. My grandfather wasn't a man of many words. He barely spoke, preferring to watch and observe.

"Hi, sweet girl." That was all. He really was a man of simple words, but his smile told the whole story. He loved his family more than anything. He was also absolutely in love with my grandma. They had been young sweethearts, met at Hogwarts in their first year. The most that grandpa talked was when he was talking about his wife. I always hoped to find someone who loved me as much as my grandpa loved my grandma.

As my Aunt's walked up to us, giving their greetings to their parents, I started off towards the bookshop.

"Hang on dear, we have your books all ready for you. The only thing you should do is drop off your stuff inside the door and I'll lock up! We are going for ice cream!"

"Wow, really? What about Aunt Nancy's crazy timetable and list?!" I asked, knowing she had been on a mission to get the shopping done on time… OR maybe it was to get to grandma on time!

"You really rushed her? I thought I told you not to rush!" Grandma lightly chided her daughter. Nancy looked a little sheepish and smiled but said nothing. Grandma rolled her eyes.

"Well, go put your stuff down my dear. Check just inside the door too, we have something for you!"

I raced off to do as my Grandma had instructed. I opened the door and breathed in the familiar scent of paper and ink. The shelves were tall and full, as they had been for as long as I could remember. So many different books lay on the shelves. Some were huge and heavy, others tiny and delicate. Some were so new they were still shiny, others were so old they looked as though a gust of wind would disintegrate the very pages. I let the door shut behind me and some of the light from the street outside was blocked out. I set my bags down and looked around for the thing my Grandma had been talking about. I recognized it immediately.

It was a trunk, about the size of a large book. A large, silky, purple ribbon was wrapped around it. On the outside, there was a small apparatus, that had little tabs on it with words written on them. I realized they were the names of books and their authors. As I turned the tabs, I noticed all my spell books were on the list, as well as all my favorite leisure reading books. There were some books on the list that I'd never heard of. At least twenty or so. I kept flipping through the thing, which looked like a metal Rolodex set into the outside of the case, just right of the lock. There was a key on top with the shape of a heart on one end. The other end had an intricate set of teeth, several sticking out at random angles. It almost looked like an arrow with a heart for the tip. I had gotten to the end of the book list and now there were just several blank metal slates, for more books I assumed. I turned the metal spinner back to one of the new books that weren't one of my textbooks and opened the trunk with the key, pulling the ribbon off gently. As I did, the ribbon warmed in my hand for a second. I thought I imagined it. When I opened the case, the book that corresponded with the plaque on the spinner appeared. No other book was in the case, but there were bookmarks and a small notebook and a few Muggle pens in little pockets on the inside of the lid. I closed the case and spun the spinner randomly back, landing on _The Improved Standard Book of Spells, Grade One by Minerva McGonagall._ I opened the case again and this time, the spellbook presented itself to me! Oh, my gosh. My Grandma Patty had just given me the best gift in the whole wide world. I felt tears beginning to form. I couldn't imagine a better gift. A personal, portable bookshelf! As I set my shopping down, I took the little case with me. I wanted to look through the new books she had given me.

I exited the shop, beaming, to find my Grandparents talking to my Aunt's several feet away. They looked concerned and were speaking in low whispers. I knew what it was about. My mother. She hadn't spoken to her parents in nearly ten years. If it weren't for the owls and my Aunt's, my mother would have kept me away from my grandmother. I had no idea why; my Grandma Patty was the sweetest woman on the face of the earth. She helped anyone she could and tended to the most beautiful garden I had ever seen. No one really understood WHY my mother acted the way she did. Not really. Not even me.

I was lost in my thoughts for the rest of the trip. I remember going to FF Fancy Ice Creamery and Sweets, where I got sherbet lemon frozen ice and ate in silence. The next thing I knew we were at Swish & Flickery Wand Shop. It was run by four women and had replaced the esteemed Ollivanders Wand Shop after the Second Wizarding War. Megan and her wife Katie were new wandmakers from America that had met Sarah while traveling to Ireland. Katie was kind of shy and had short awesomely spiked hair. Megan had a kind face and was fiercely protective of Katie. Sarah told funny jokes and spoke in silly voices.

Sarah had been doing field research when she met Megan and Katie. They were in the same business and quickly became business partners and friends. When Tiffany (a kind-hearted woman with long, straight brown hair) married Sarah's brother, three became four and the rest is history! They combined all their knowledge of wand cores and woods and started the largest wand core supply in the entire world. They have items shipped from friends around the globe. Their sign, flourished in purple and white with a wand and sparks, boasted of the large variety of wand cores and woods. They soon became as famous as the late Garrick Ollivander himself, getting customers who couldn't find a suitable wand from anyone else.

Some wand cores included the original Ollivander wand cores but also contained such things like Wampus Hair, Fairy wings, Jackalope Antler, Griffin feather and hair, Demiguise hair, Thunderbird feather, Kelpie hair and much more. Not to mention more wand woods than one could count.

When I finally found my wand (it chose me by shooting jets of multicolored water from the end) I had a Cherry Wood wand with Wampus Cat hair core. Twelve and three-quarter inches, slightly springy, Katie had said with a smile, handing me my wand. It felt like home in my hand. I found myself twirling it between my fingers later in the day and was warned to stop by my Aunt's when silver sparks flew from the ends.

The rest of the trip went by in a blur and suddenly I found myself sitting on my bed in my room. It was the same room I had been in my whole life, changing over time as I grew up. There were a few things that didn't change; the cross stitch of my birth info that hung on my wall. My mother had made that by hand, lovingly. That was years ago now. The same old rocking chair in the corner held a giant stuffed bear, looking as if magic itself was the only thing holding the stitches together. He was missing an eye, the left one. I had lost it to a Niffler on my Grandparents farm. His arm had been torn off more times than I could count! I used to drag him around behind me when I was a toddler (causing it to catch on rocks and stones and tables and toys, hence the ripped and repaired arms) but now he just sits in his chair. I tried to wash him once. I was so nervous he would fall apart that I decided to stop the washer halfway through filling and pull him out. I had flooded the house. Somehow, nothing was damaged. My Aunts popped over and cleaned up the mess for me before my parents came home.

I started packing things in my trunk. I had a month left but I knew I would pack and repack my trunk at least three times. I was worried I would forget something. That night, when mother called me down for dinner, I was disappointed. She hadn't made my favorite dinner, she had made hers.

"But I thought you liked TBMGC (Tomato Basil Mozzarella Grilled Cheese) and my homemade tomato soup?" My mother asked, sounding slightly insulted.

"Yea mom, but it was my favorite when I was nine. My new favorite is Clearswamp Frog Legs, I thought you knew that."

"Oh, yes that's right. Well, you can have that for your birthday; eat up now, before it gets cold!" She said dismissively and turned away to serve my father.

My birthday, I realized a short time later, would fall while I was attending Hogwarts. She must have known that… Or had she forgotten when my birthday was too? Did she say that just to hurt me?

"Hunny, how was your trip to diagonally?" My father asked, distracting me from my rushing thoughts.

I smiled at him. He never pronounced Wizarding things correctly, and sometimes I think he was doing it on purpose.

"It's Diagon Ally, dad; and it was great! I made a new friend already! Her name is Star and guess what! She can do what I can do! Its called a Metamorphmagus or something like that! Apparently, it's very rare! There are only four people in the world who can do that!" I gushed enthusiastically to my father. I didn't see my mothers back stiffen as she stood at the sink, rinsing a plate.

"WOW! That's incredible, Lucy!"

"I got my wand too, that was amazing! Cherry wood and Wampus hair dad! I looked it up, a Wampus Cat is native to Appalachia! It's a strong and powerful cat kinda like a cougar! Grandma gave me this really amazing gift too, it's a magical case that—"

"Ready for dessert, Andy?" My mother interrupted my talk, picking up her husband's empty plate and carrying it away.

"I made the most delicious rhubarb pie! It has sugar and rhubarb and strawberries and a flaky crust! You may have some when you are done eating, Lucy."

It was as if she was oblivious to my joy over the trip. I couldn't understand. I just nodded and ate mechanically. It tasted like ash in my dry mouth. I asked for a small piece of pie and then excused myself from the table. I went straight up to my room and fell into bed. As I closed my eyes for the night, I wished the next month would go by in a flash.

I did not get my wish. It seemed like the month lasted an eternity. I spent most of my time out of the house, at the local park. I got very tan. The August sun was hot this year and seemed to not let up much until the first weekend before September. The temperature dipped below the nineties. I wore long skirts and tank tops that weekend, which was the most I'd worn all summer with the heat. I had dark freckles on my face, and my hair would have lightened had I not had full control over its pigment. In any case, I turned it a purply silver which contrasted very nicely with my freckles, the weekend before September 1st. I lengthened it very long, past my waist. I kept my side swept bangs that cover my forehead though and my green eyes. I wanted Star to be able to recognize me.

The day before September 1st was a quiet one. We ate breakfast as a family and my dad took me fishing one last time. We sat on the lake that was only a few miles away from home. It wasn't a particularly large lake but it was oddly shaped and had many little hideaways. While we fished, my dad told me stories. He told me about the time that he got stuck on a lake when a storm was coming in. He and his fishing companion needed to paddle extremely fast to shore to avoid being caught in the storm.

I felt a sudden pang in my chest. I was going to miss my dad so much while away. I turned and studied his face, committing it to memory. I felt another pang as I imagined, sometime in the future, having to say a more permanent goodbye. I shook the thoughts away. What an awful thing to think about.

"Dad, will you write to me when I go to school?" I asked, trying to keep my voice normal. My throat still felt stuck together by the recently banished thoughts.

"Of course, hunny. I will write you every day if you want!"

"Not every day! Just like once a week or so. Keep me updated on life at home. I'll tell you all the cool things I'm learning and all the people I'll meet."

That day with my dad was one I would remember for a long time. When hardships came at Hogwarts, he was who I would remember in the tough days. His advice would be what I needed most. If I had known, what was to be, I would have relished just five more minutes with him on that lake. My dad was always there for me, no matter what. I loved him with all of my heart, and he loved me in return. That was one of the best gifts in life, unconditional love from a parent. It's what held me together when things went wrong.


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello! Thanks again for reading! I am going to be going back and editing the chapters before this to fix any errors so it might take me a bit to post the next chapter, but stick around! This is where the adventure REALLY begins! I will more than likely be changing a few things in the very first chapter, so if you want, go and check out the new version! (I'm not quite sure if fanfiction sends out notifications, so I'm sorry you'll have to probably guess and check!)**

I opened my eyes. The sun was barely shining through the curtains of my window. I checked the clock. It read just a little after five AM. I groaned, rolled over and closed my eyes, trying to fall back asleep. Then I realized what day it was and shot straight out of bed into a standing position. It was the day! Today, September first, was the day I would be going to Hogwarts. I turned and pondered for a moment how, clumsy me, had managed to jump out of bed without hurting myself or falling, but I couldn't focus on that for long. A ball of emotions exploded inside my chest. Happiness, fear, excitement, dread, passion, dedication to learning everything I could and a want for adventure. I also felt a terrible sadness creeping up on me. I would be leaving this house, the one that had been my home for eleven years. It would be the longest I had ever been away from home, away from my parents. But the sense of rising adventure overtook the negative feelings trying to claw their way into my heart. I could deal with the rest later when it came up.

I got dressed in a rush. I threw on a Spirited Away tank top, my favorite choker, and black skinny jeans. It looked like it was going to rain, but the weather was still hot. I brushed my hair quickly and, in my excitement, my brush caused little streaks of darker purple to appear in my hair. I liked it, the silvery purple and dark purple mixed together well. Somehow, it fits. I rushed downstairs to have a quick breakfast. My mother was nowhere to be found. A sinking feeling started in the pit of my stomach. She really couldn't be here today? Just TODAY, the most important day. I started to feel tears threatening to spill over and quickly swiped them away before stepping onto the landing and entering the kitchen.

"Morning, Dad," I said, with as much enthusiasm as I could throw in. The greeting sounded flat to my ears, so I forced a tired smile on my face, hoping I could feign exhaustion. It seemed to work because my dad smiled from behind his paper and said his usual, "Hullo."

I sat down and made myself a bowl of cereal. I was too addled to eat anything much. It was a small bowl and I forced myself to finish the final third of it. I knew I would need the energy today.

Just then, my mother walked into the kitchen. She looked just as tired as I was pretending to be. I perked up immediately. She hadn't left after all! She barely looked at either me or my father but went straight for the coffee machine and the freezer. Oh, no... One of her headaches…

"How did you sleep, dear?" My father asked, having not noticed the freezer door opening. He did hear the crinkle of her ice bag, however. He turned in his seat, concern flooding his eyes as she answered.

"Awful," was her short, blunt reply. She always got this way whenever she had a headache. Crabby, spiteful, short-tempered and of course, bitter. I knew one trick though, that might get her to feel better.

"Want me to make you some herbal tea, mother?" I asked politely. She only nodded and slumped on the table, ice on her head, coffee in hand and eyes closed.

She was never in a state to make it herself when she had one of her headaches. So, I exited out the back door and made my way along the little stone path to our garden shed. It was next to our vegetable garden. There were tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, carrots, and even peppers planted there. But they were not what I was after.

I made my way to the backend of the shed, through a long bush that hid a tiny alcove of soft grass right in the middle of it. I pushed on a specific panel and a line formed, in a rectangle, exactly the shape of a door. A piece of the shed wall itself had swung open to allow entrance.

I went in and quickly pulled the piece of wall shut behind me. It was even that much more a secret entrance because there was a false wall in the actual shed, hiding the ramp that sloped down to my right. We didn't have neighbors over often, let alone did we allow them in our shed, but this was a place no one, besides family, could go. It needed to be kept secret.

I walked down the dirt ramp, and made a left turn, into a small dirt hall that led to a glass door set into the ground. The walls of the hall were smooth and cleanly cut out of the dirt. The door was green and led to an underground greenhouse that expanded to the left, following the length of the shed above. The top panes of glass had been bewitched to act like the sun, mirroring the same one that was shining directly over the shed. It was as if the shed above wasn't there at all, flooding the entire greenhouse with bright light.

There were many magical plants, flowers, and herbs that my mother kept down here, and she tended them well. From a corner of the greenhouse, I gathered a few different herbs for the tea. I grabbed three leaves of one extra plant, my own secret ingredient when my mother was having an atrocious headache. The leaves were bright purple. I looked around at the many plants and flowers, vines swinging, leaves fluttering, grasses dancing in a non-existent breeze. I loved it down here. I would miss it most of all places at home when I went off to Hogwarts. I hurried back out of the secret greenhouse, that was filled with so many colors and moving plants and a heavy, flowery aroma. A small slice of magic in an unapologetically normal neighborhood, hidden below ground and away from prying eyes. Maybe that's why I liked it so much.

I entered the kitchen and started the kettle right away. While I waited for the water to boil, I got out some metal tea balls. My mother hated having dregs in her tea. I got to work cutting the leaves and stuffing the little metal ball full of them. When it was completely full of leaves, I stuck it in our ceramic teapot, the long chain of the ball hanging out from under the lid. The leaves were a mix of green, blue, purple, and yellow. Each a different plant with a different healing quality. My Grandmother had taught my mother well, and in turn, my mother had bestowed that knowledge on me. But I often experimented with the combinations my mother had taught me. I found that if I added the purple leaves, my mother's headaches went away faster and cut through the harshest ones.

A shrill whistle sounded, and I knew the tea was almost ready. I pulled the kettle off the heat and brought it to the living room. My mother hadn't moved, or so it seemed at first. I noticed about half her coffee had gone but her face still remained pressed upon the table, the ice still on her head. I put the ceramic teapot down and poured some hot water into it, letting the tea leaves start their steeping process. I put the kettle back in the kitchen and got mugs. I didn't have a headache, but I loved tea. Any kind, usually. I got out honey and sugar from the cupboards and cream from the fridge. I carried them all to the table at once, balancing things carefully and walking slowly.

As I got to the table my mother looked up at me and gasped loudly. She hated when I took more than she thought I could carry. I had almost everything set down, but a mug slipped when she had made the noise. I watched as it plummeted to the earth, almost in slow motion. My heart seemed to sink with it. I reached with my now free hand to grab it. I wasn't going to make it, I wasn't fast enough. I knew what the broken mug would mean, no matter how much tea I made, my mother's headache would be at top caliber all day long. My plans to fix this day had been ruined.

Suddenly, the mug was in my hand. I hadn't reached down any farther than when I thought I was going to miss. I had resigned it to be nothing more than broken pieces on our carpet and stopped moving, my hand still outstretched. But the mug had ended up there anyway. _Hah, magic!_ I thought. _What a lifesaver!_

"Can you NOT do any of that today, please?" My mother groaned, putting her head back down on the table.

I scowled but didn't say anything. I knew better than to argue when she had a headache like this. Even though I HAD just saved one of her nice mugs… Instead of saying anything, I simply put the mug on the table, in front of myself, and put the other mug in front of her. Goddess knows she wouldn't want one that had been affected by magic. I silently rolled my eyes at the thought. It wasn't like the cup would be any different.

With my mother's headache quickly fading and her mood steadily improving, we packed away my things into the car. We would drive to Kings Cross Station and they would help me get my trunk and Emiko's cage on the train. I had told them earlier this month that they didn't need to watch the train pull away. I knew how final that would be for my mother and I didn't want to make it any worse for her. My father had insisted vehemently at first, but I talked him down. My mother had said nothing at all.

As we drove down the street and away from our house, it started to rain lightly. I took one last look out of the back window that was speckled with water droplets, at my home. I couldn't see it from here, but I knew the garden shed was there. The secret place that lay below calling out to my soul like a siren call on misty waters. I would miss it greatly. Then, I sat back and silently listened to the radio. I wondered about what life at Hogwarts would be like. What friends would I make? What would the classes and teachers be like? Did ghosts really walk straight through walls? Who would be my Head of House? Would I really be sorted into Hufflepuff? _What if Star and I AREN'T sorted into the same house._

The thought had my chest freezing. I wasn't sure if I'd make friends with anyone else. I had been likable enough around the neighborhood, but I never felt anyone _actually_ liked me. The neighbor kids just put up with me. I could tell. I was always, too excited, too easily distracted, too enthusiastic, too magical (though they didn't know it), too much…

I banished the thoughts away. I knew a little better now. I had a plant, one I had gotten from Grandma in secret before we left Diagon Alley. It was supposed to help with symptoms of ADHD. Which, according to Muggle doctor's, I had. My Grandma thought it was Muggle nonsense but could see my struggle with paying attention all the same. She had found a little plant called Foci Riza on one of her trips. This one was from Greece. It was a tiny, leafy, blush-like plant with little pointy oval leaves that were a dull orange color and roots that were deep purple that could be cut and replanted. If I tended to the plant and made my own tea from either the leaves or the roots in the common room before breakfast, I could control the hyperactivity. One of the gifts I had gotten from Grandma had been a tiny tea set, that had a mini, self-heating, bottomless teapot and two purple mugs. I wasn't a huge fan of taking something to make me "normal", but I needed to be in order to finish the school work.

I had struggled in homeschooling when my mother taught me. My Grandmother had a knack of grabbing my attention, while also allowing me to delve into the subjects at my own pace, letting me switch from one to another at random. But my mother, orderly and precise, never liked that I enjoyed school with my Grandmother, rather than with her. So, she eventually wouldn't let my Grandmother teach me anymore. She always ended up making excuses, then stopped replying to Grandma's letters altogether. But my Grandmother found little ways of helping me long term, during my time with her. She gave me little trinkets to roll in my hands while my mother was lecturing, so I could listen and still fidget. She was always trying to help me. I loved her so.

I felt the car pull to a stop and looked around suddenly. Oh, we were here already? Oh, man. I hadn't had time to prepare myself. The crowd was probably going to be huge. A knot formed in my throat at the thought and my head started to swim. I took a few deep breaths and opened the door anyway. I would find my friend, Gwendolyn Star. That's what I would focus on. Finding Star. Her pink hair couldn't be hard to miss. I started to feel a tiny bit better.

We walked into the station like an oddly shaped triangle, my Dad wheeling my large trunk and owl cage while I walked next to him and my mother following us. We found the right platform and started towards it. We said nothing much as we approached the little sign for Platform 9. Finally, we reached a spot just like Grandma had described.

 _"You want to stand a short distance away, act like you are looking around. Stand and chat for a bit, but then walk straight at the wall dividing Platforms 9 and 10."_

 _My father had given her a strange look._

 _"Trust me, you'll walk right through it. You need to act like its nothing, or people will notice. I know you can all do it."_

We stood in a spot, a small distance away from the wall. We didn't linger long. My father looked down at me.

"Are you ready?" He asked me in a whisper. I turned to look at my mother. She was even farther away now.

"Are you coming?" I asked her, not too loudly but loud enough I knew she could hear me. At first, she didn't do anything. She didn't say anything, just kept her eyes locked on the place we would vanish. Then, very slowly, almost as if she were scared the wall might spook and run, she moved closer and nodded her head. I took her hand in mine. She looked at me in surprise. We hadn't held hands in a long time. I smiled at her, reassuringly, then turned to my dad.

"Yes, I'm ready. Let's go."

I may not like how my mother treats me all the time, but she's still my mother. I knew this was hard for her. She had many, many internal struggles. I could see them. She hated herself a lot for being non-magical. She had depression. She was a proud woman, who didn't like accepting help. She wanted to fix it all on her own, mostly by ignoring it. I knew better, if only from watching my mother struggle. I knew you had to face things, especially fear, head on.

We walked, together, as a family towards the wall. I closed my eyes as we got closer but didn't run. For a second, I felt nothing and wondered if I'd closed my eyes too soon or if we had gotten the wrong wall and I was about to run, face first, right into this one! Then, I felt the air change. I could feel the steam from the engine that I knew would be scarlet. I opened my eyes. A sign that said, Platform 9 ¾ and a metal archway were the only things on the wall behind us. Along with the billows of puffy steam, I had been right. The crowd was huge. Bustling parents, students, younger siblings, even grandparents roamed around. Cats called to each other over the din and Emiko joined in with the hooting of the other owls. People milled about while other's rushed. Some saying goodbye, some giving last hugs and kisses, some shouting reminders of, "Don't forget to write!" and "Yes, you have to wear the robes EVERY day!"

As we moved forward, two little boys were shamelessly holding hands while trailing after their older sibling, laughing and giggling to each other. Another little girl clung to her older sister's legs, crying while the older sister just patted her head while chatting with her parents. Yet another was kissing a little baby on the forehead, tears in his eyes as he smiled at the cooing baby, waving a final goodbye. I felt a tiny dip in my chest at the wish for a younger or older sibling. A tiny hoot from my cage brought my attention back and I smiled. I was alright, I knew how to make friends. I had Emiko, she was like a younger sibling, the way she acted. Always looking for my attention, playful. It's what I imagined having a younger sibling was like, anyway.

My mother suddenly stopped in her tracks. I looked up at her. While I had been taking in my surroundings, I hadn't noticed my mother's behavior. Her back was stiff, and she had a stony look in her eyes. She was hiding away inside herself again. I should have known it would be too much. I sighed and knew it was time to say goodbye before my mother shut herself away completely.

"I think this is as good of a spot as any!" I said, trying to sound chipper and enthusiastic. We had only moved a little farther forward, near the very first train car. It wouldn't do to break down here, it would only make my mother worse. She often couldn't handle the emotions of others.

My father, who had been gawking at everything around him, turned to look at me. He smiled so warmly, I thought he would melt the wall that I had started to form around my heart (so I wouldn't break down in tears in the middle of a packed train station). I felt a couple rise to my eyes anyway but brushed them away. If I let some go, the waterfall would start.

"I am going to miss you so much, Lucy. You have an amazing time and learn all that you can. You write if you need anything, but don't forget to need something every week or so, alright?" My father's warm voice flooded inside my heart, almost bringing me to tears again. But such strength and certainty resounded in his voice that I held myself together. I threw myself at him in a huge hug as a response. I couldn't bring myself to speak. He patted me on the head and hugged me back.

I pulled away and turned to my mother. She hugged me swiftly and kissed me on the cheek.

"Do well in school, use your planner, don't get distracted." Was all she seemed to be able to muster. I could tell she was holding back tears, but I hugged her again anyway and said,

"I will, thanks, Mom."

My dad helped me haul my trunk onto the train and stow it in a compartment. It wouldn't matter which as somehow, they always got where they needed to go when the train reached Hogwarts.

As we stepped back off the train, my father took my mother's hand and pulled me into one last, three-way hug. I held on for a long time. We said nothing. But the meaning was there, all the same. We finally broke away. My father smiled at me one last time and turned my mother towards the exit. She looked incapable on her own, her eyes a million miles away from here. I watched them go the whole time. Right before they got to the exit, they both turned and waved. My father's wave was genuine, sincere, and almost tearful. I waved back enthusiastically, smiling so broadly I thought my face might stick that way. This was finally it! My mother's wave was methodical, preplanned. I could see she was barely holding it together. They turned and walked through the wall, back out into the Muggle world. The world that was no longer fully my world anymore. I was officially immersed in this one. I was going to Hogwarts! I was going to be a witch!


End file.
